Have a fright on the town

Halloween is a few weeks away, and for all you ghost-hunting, paranormal-activity loving addicts out there, here is a list of some places here and the surrounding area you can find some scares.

Be warned, investigate at your own risk. Just don’t trespass.

Beaumont — “Lights of Saratoga” — One of the most well known ghost story in the area. Located in the Big Thicket, the Lights of Saratoga are floating lights that appear and disappear on a dirt road located between Beaumont and Livingston. Some say that the light has actually entered their car while driving at night and turned red. There are many explanations of what this yellow glowing light is. Some believe that it is a naturally occurring swamp gas. The more popular belief is that the light is the lantern that belongs to the ghost of a decapitated railroad worker that is looking for his head. The most amazing thing about this story is that there is a nearly 100 percent probability that you will see something!

Beaumont — “The Kissing Statues” of Forrest Lawn Memorial Cemetery — I once heard this story about two statues of a man and a woman located in the back of the cemetery. Late at night, direct your car behind the statues, turn on the bright lights and you can see the two kissing, and the guy moving his arms up and down the woman’s back. There is one reported case that the two statues stopped kissing and stared at the two witnesses. As if graveyards were not scary enough.

Beaumont — Sigma Phi Epsilon House — Before it was the hotspot for college parties, the

house was the prized possession of a farmer who built it from the ground up. After he died, it lived a short life as a bordello before Lamar bought it back in the 80s. There is allegedly a ghost that lives there named Chester who spend his days opening and closing doors when no one is around. It is also said that he protect the guys that live there.

Galveston — Luigi’s Italian Restaurant — Located somewhere on The Strand, workers claim to have heard a woman crying and sometime see her walking down the stairs. Check please.

Galveston — “Old Red” at University of Texas Medical Branch — A concrete building with a grid-like pattern on the side. At one time there was the face of an old man in one of the squares, but that was allegedly quickly sandblasted away. Eventually the face appeared again, several times, in different squares of the pattern …

Lake Charles — “Old Gravel Road” — What haunted place list would be complete without at least one entry from the bayou? According to the locals, right outside the city limits of Lake Charles is an unpaved street simply referred to as “Old Gravel Road.” Supposedly it’s an absolute no-no to go down that road at night because there is a ghost truck that travels up and down running people off the street. Shadows have also been said to stand on the side of the road watching you pass by.

New Orleans — “The Morgue Bar and Lounge” — This one was so creepy I had to mention it. On 626 Philip St. there is a building that was first built in 1849. What is now a rocking bar was once an integrated mortuary to store bodies during the Yellow Fever epidemic. Legend has it that a mortician’s daughter had a bad habit of stealing jewelry from the dead. Every now and then she comes into ladies room and “borrows” from unexpected patrons. In case you’re wondering why she’s picking on the ladies, the women’s restroom was where the dead bodies were stored. Just what the world needs, another reason to be grossed out by public restrooms.

Ashton Villa in Galveston. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Galveston — Ashton Villa — The good news: nothing tragic happened here. In fact, the Ashton Villa is one of the houses that survived the hurricane of 1900. The bad news: there have been reports of male and female apparitions wondering in place in old-style clothes. Some people say that they have felt someone — or something — eyeing them down as they walk through the house.

Galveston — Stewart’s Mansion — Located in the West End of Galveston, Stewart’s Mansion was originally built in 1926. Some people have claimed to hear the sounds of banging on doors and children screaming for help.

Galveston— Hotel Galvez — The oldest hotel on the island, Hotel Galvez is named after Bernardo de Galvez, a Spanish leader (the island is also named in his honor). In room 505, supposedly you can smell gardenias throughout the entire room. Most people who have tried to stay in that room have so incredibly uncomfortable that halfway through their stay they check out. I don’t think I’m visiting Galveston anytime soon.